Handwork frame

ABSTRACT

A handwork frame comprises a pair of side members, a pair of parallel cross members slidably mounted at opposite ends on the side members for opposite displacement while maintaining parallelism with flexible strips extending along for attachment thereto of the opposite edges of a worksheet of fabric to be embroidered, and individually adjustable legs are mounted on the lower ends of the side members for disposing the plane of the worksheet at a desired angle on any support surface.

United States Patent Bowman Mar. 11, 1975 1 HANDWORK FRAME 3,774,326 11/1973 Selden 38/l02.4

76 l ntor: Rush A. Bowman 3723 Oakle 1 nve Memphis Tenn $811] y Primary Exammer-Patnck D. Lawson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Strauch, Nolan, Neale, Nies [22] Filed: Feb. 1, 1974 & Kurz [21] Appl. No.: 438,717

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U5. CL I 38/102 4 A handwork frame comprises a pair of side members, [51] Int CL "b 6 a pair of parallel cross members slidably mounted at [58] Field Of Search.:.... '3/'1'6"1'"'i'62 4 102 8 Opposite ends the side members OPPOSie 5 2 placement while maintaining parallelism with flexible strips extending along for attachment thereto of the [56] References Cited opposite edges of a worksheet of fabric to be embroidered, and individually adjustable legs are mounted on UNITED STA TES PATENTS the lower ends of the side members for disposing the Delclello plane of the orksheet at a desired angle on any Sup 2,318,877 5/1943 Meyer 6t 21 38/1026 port Surface 2,604,725 7/1952 Jongjohann 38/102.4 3,015,185 1/1962 Okunami 38/102.6 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures HANDWORK FRAME This invention relates to handwork frames for mounting canvas or fabric to provide a conveniently accessible firm work area during needlepoint and like operations.

Embroidery frames have been proposed as evidenced by the U8. Pats. to Levinson No. 335,762; Payen No. 800,591; Altfuldisch No. 1,077,211 and Wilson No. 3,309,803. All of these seek the common goal of providing the user with a convenient work area wherein the fabric is held taut and a frame that is adjustable to be adapted to various work locations and conditions.

The present invention provides an improved structure for the purpose, having an improved mode of mounting and holding the fabric, simple but effective adjustability and increased capability of adapting itself to different supporting environments, and this is the major object of the invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel handwork frame wherein fabrics of different size may be drawn tight between special adjustable bar assemblies having novel arrangements for attachment of the fabric thereto.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel handwork frame wherein the fabric to be worked upon is attached at opposite edges to special flexible strips fixed along slidably adjustable parallel frame bars.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel handwork frame assembly that comprises transverse bars mounted for parallel sliding displacement on parallel uprights and slidable rotatable legs on the individual uprights for angularly positioning the frame and adapting the frame to seat on irregular support surfaces, the whole assembly being readily put together or dismantled for storage or transport. Preferably all surfaces of the frame are smooth with rounded sides and corners for eliminating snagging and facilitating adjustment.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. I is a front elevation showing the invention in a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1

FIG. 4 is a generally perspective view illustrating a use of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section substantially on line 5-5 of FIG.

1; and

FIG. 6 is a generally perspective view showing another embodiment.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. l-4 illustrate a handwork support frame wherein parallel upright side members 11 and 12 are spaced and bridged by parallel transverse bars 13 and I4.

Preferably the upright members 11 and 12 are identical, each being a constant cross section cylindrical length of hard wood or plastic having a relatively smooth finished surface. A friction shoe 15 in the form of a rubber or like cap is provided on the lower end of each member, and the upper end is rounded at I6 to eliminate sharp edges.

The transverse bars 13 and 14 are preferably identical hard wooden bars that, see FIG. 5, are generally oval in cross section. At each end these bars are formed, see FIG. 3, with cylindrical bores l7 having sliding fit on the cylindrical upright members and a clamping region consisting of an open end slot 18 that intersects the adjacent bore to provide flexure clamp arms 19 and 20 bridged by a manual fastener unit 21 that preferably is a bolt 22 carrying a wing nut 23. With the fastener units at each end relaxed either bar may be slidably displaced upon the upright members to a desired spacing, and the spacing is maintained by operating the wing nuts to draw arms 19 and 20 toward each other and tightly clamp the bars to the uprights.

Referring to FIG. 5 it will be seen that upper bar 13 has a flat upper surface 24 merging by way of a rounded longitudinal corner into a smoothly curved front surface 25. A length of flexible tape 26 is perm anently secured as by fasteners 27 along bar 13 inwardly of its connection to the uprights. Preferably tape 26 is a length of heavy woven fabric of such nature and sufficiently strong that one end of a sheet 28 of fabric, canvas or like material to be embroidered or otherwise worked may be secured along its free edge by machine or hand stitching indicated at 29 in FIG. 5.

The lower bar 14 is identical with bar 13 and similarly has a flexible tape 26 permanently secured along its lower flat longitudinal surface 31 and projecting past a smoothly rounded longitudinal corner over the smoothly curved front surface 32.

The frame consisting of the uprights and transverse bars may be arranged to provide a work area ranging from almost vertical to almost horizontal, upon various surfaces such as on tables, beds, beach sands and the like. This is provided by identical legs 33 and 34 slidably and rotatably mounted on the lower ends of the respective uprights. Each leg is a length of hard wood of about the same cross section as the transverse bars formed at one end with the same bore and slot formations and associated wing nut clamp fasteners 26 as the end of each transverse bar shown in FIG. 3. Thus, with the fasteners relaxed either leg may be independently slidably displaced along and rotated about its associated cylindrical upright to a desired position, and clamped in that position. As shown in FIG. 2 the lower end of each leg is beveled to provide a flat surface 35 adapted to rest on the bed, ground or the like.

In using the device of the invention, as for embroidery for example, the upper bar 13 is usually first fixed along the frame by tightening the fasteners 21 at opposite ends, and the lower bar is moved to approximately its final position as determined by the vertical dimension of the sheet of fabric to be embroidered. The upper edge of the fabric to be embroidered is now fixed upon the projecting edge tape 26 of upper bar 13 as by stitching, and the lower edge of the fabric is similarly secured to tape 26 of the lower bar 14. Now lower bar 14 is slidably displaced downwardly on the uprights until the fabric to be embroidered is drawn tight between the bars 13 and 14. As the fabric 28 approaches final position the tapes 26 flex into surface engagement with the smooth front surfaces of the bars, and fabric 28 is tensioned in flat condition therebetween and lies in a plane parallel to that containing the uprights.

Legs 33 and 34 may now be independently adjusted on the respective uprights to insure that the fabric 28 is properly presented to the user. For example note FIG. 4 which shows the device adapted for use by a bed-ridden patient.

The taut mounting of fabric 28 on the frame is independent of the position of the legs, and in fact the frame may be used with or without the legs.

Should it be desired to interrupt work on the fabric and move the frame to another location the bars 13 and 14 can be loosened and slid off the uprights and rolled together with the work thereon for insertion in a protective tube or like carrier, and then quickly reassembled on the uprights.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment wherein the frame comprises of members 11 and 12 and cross bars 13 and 14 assembled as in FIG. 1 is mounted on a floor stand consisting of posts 41 connected at the lower ends by a cross brace 42 and rising from floor engaging footings 43. In this embodiment the cylindrical members 11 and 12 have a sliding friction fit in similar arms 44 and 45 that have adjustable pivot connections 46 and 47 to the upper ends of posts 41. By tightening the pivots at 46, 47 the plane of the fabric may be disposed at the proper angle to a seated user.

The device may be used and reused many times without damage or wear to the transverse bars, and should the straps 26 become damaged or soiled they may be easily replaced. Within the work area there are no sharp projections to snag material being handled and the smooth-surfaced elements may be handled safely.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics'thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A handwork frame comprising a pair of side members, a pair of parallel cross members slidably mounted at opposite ends on said side members for relative displacement while maintaining parallelism, flexible worksheet mounting means on said cross members adapted for attachment thereto of the opposite edges of a worksheet of fabric or the like, said worksheet being tensioned to flat condition by relative opposite displacement of said cross members on said side members, means for fixing the ends of said cross members in adjusted position on said side members, said side members having cylindrical sections and said cross members being provided with bores closely slidably frictionally surrounding said cylindrical sections and said fixing means comprising clamp means on the outer ends of said cross members for tightening or loosening the friction fit of said members at said bores, and support means for angularly positioning said frame comprising members at each side having cylindrical bores loosely slidably frictionally surrounding said cylindrical sections of the side members.

2. The handwork frame defined in claim 1, wherein said clamp means comprises slots at the ends of said cross members intersecting said bores to define clamp arms and fasteners are provided to draw said arms to gether for tightening said friction fit.

3. The handwork frame defined in claim 1, wherein said worksheet mounting means comprises strips of relatively strong fabric secured along said cross members.

4. The handwork frame defined in claim 3, wherein each of said strips is secured to its cross member along one edge with the other edge of the strip projecting forwardly and said side members are formed with smooth front surfaces upon which said strips are drawn into contact when a worksheet is mounted between the strips on the respective cross members and said members are displaced to tension said worksheet to substantially flat working condition.

5. The handwork frame defined in claim 1, wherein said support means are independently adjustable legs mounted on each of said side members for disposing the frame in varying generally vertical inclined positions and upon differing level surfaces.

6. The handwork frame defined in claim 5, wherein each of said legs is rotatably and longitudinally slidably mounted on its associated side member, and means is provided for clamping each leg in a selected adjusted position.

7. The handwork frame defined in claim 1, wherein independently adjustable legs are provided at each side member, each leg having a cylindrical bore slidably and rotatably embracing the cylindrical section of its associated side member and means is provided at each bore for clamping each leg in adjusted condition on the associated side member.

8. A handwork frame according to claim 1 comprising a floor stand having spaced upright posts, and said support means comprise pivoted arms at the upper ends of said posts having bores wherein said side members are slidably mounted, whereby said frame may be tilted to a desired angularity and slidably positioned on said floor stand. 

1. A handwork frame comprising a pair of side members, a pair of parallel cross members slidably mounted at opposite ends on said side members for relative displacement while maintaining parallelism, flexible worksheet mounting means on said cross members adapted for attachment thereto of the opposite edges of a worksheet of fabric or the like, said worksheet being tensioned to flat condition by relative opposite displacement of said cross members on said side members, means for fixing the ends of said cross members in adjusted position on said side members, said side members having cylindrical sections and said cross members being provided with bores closely slidably frictionally surrounding said cylindrical sections and said fixing means comprising clamp means on the outer ends of said cross members for tightening or loosening the friction fit of said members at said bores, and support means for angularly positioning said frame comprising members at each side having cylindrical bores loosely slidably frictionally surrounding said cylindrical sections of the side members.
 1. A handwork frame comprising a pair of side members, a pair of parallel cross members slidably mounted at opposite ends on said side members for relative displacement while maintaining parallelism, flexible worksheet mounting means on said cross members adapted for attachment thereto of the opposite edges of a worksheet of fabric or the like, said worksheet being tensioned to flat condition by relative opposite displacement of said cross members on said side members, means for fixing the ends of said cross members in adjusted position on said side members, said side members having cylindrical sections and said cross members being provided with bores closely slidably frictionally surrounding said cylindrical sections and said fixing means comprising clamp means on the outer ends of said cross members for tightening or loosening the friction fit of said members at said bores, and support means for angularly positioning said frame comprising members at each side having cylindrical bores loosely slidably frictionally surrounding said cylindrical sections of the side members.
 2. The handwork frame defined in claim 1, wherein said clamp means comprises slots at the ends of said cross members intersecting said bores to define clamp arms and fasteners are provided to draw said arms together for tightening said friction fit.
 3. The handwork frame defined in claim 1, wherein said worksheet mounting means comprises strips of relatively strong fabric secured along said cross members.
 4. The handwork frame defined in claim 3, wherein each of said strips is secured to its cross member along one edge with the other edge of the strip projecting forwardly and said side members are formed with smooth front surfaces upon which said strips are drawn into contact when a worksheet is mounted between the strips on the respective cross members and said members are displaced to tension said worksheet to substantially flat working condition.
 5. The handwork frame defined in claim 1, wherein said support means are independently adjustable legs mounted on each of said side members for disposing the frame in varying generally vertical inclined positions and upon differing level surfaces.
 6. The handwork frame defined in claim 5, wherein each of said legs is rotatably and longitudinally slidably mounted on its associated side member, and means is provided for clamping each leg in a selected adjusted position.
 7. The handwork frame defined in claim 1, whereIn independently adjustable legs are provided at each side member, each leg having a cylindrical bore slidably and rotatably embracing the cylindrical section of its associated side member and means is provided at each bore for clamping each leg in adjusted condition on the associated side member. 